Diesel Fuel Bleeding Issue

[wood-gee]

I'm most of my way through restoring my 2.25D series 3 and thought I'd try and fire up the engine for a morale boost last night. Sadly, when it came to priming the fuel system I came seriously unstuck. As far as I know, I have the system plumbed in correctly (connected up as before/seems correct according to haynes manual and this >> http://www.bluemoment.com/manuals/Lucas%20CAV%20DPA%20injection%20pump%20instruction%20book.pdf ).

However, when I try and bleed the system (been attempting with the union on top of the fuel filter cracked open as this seems where people recommend to start), nothing much seems to happen. There's a clear pipe going from the fuel pump to the filter, which has been good for seeing what's going on, and what seems to happen is a few dribbles of bubbly stuff come up with each pump, but never enough to start to fill the line with fluid, and if anything less comes up the more I pump it, and certainly not enough to have stuff coming out the top union. Tried turning the engine a bit in case the camshaft wasn't lined up and was thus preventing effective pumping of the lift pump but this showed no change.

Only other thing worth mentioning is that I read on a few forum posts that some people recommend filling the filter with diesel before priming the system; would this be worth doing, and if so how does one go about it; is it filled through the hole the top bolt goes in?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Gazzar]

I had one of these years ago - mine was a pig to bleed.

Is it a 109, because you are trying to suck diesel a long way if it is! I know, I Know, it should work.

Make sure you have a decent (new/refurbished/not cheap) lift pump, that the tank is full and that EVERY join is diesel tight.

G.

[Snagger]

There should be a bleed screw on the top of the filter housing so that you can leave the unions tight. With the bleed open, just spin the engine over on the starter until fuel emerges. You can finish off with the hand priming if you wish to get all the fine bubbles out.

[wood-gee]

Resolved I think, (not started the engine yet to be able to say for sure but got it to bleed at last). put some spare pipe on between fuel tank and pump, looking to get new pipe in near future to prevent future issues. Resolved by taking the fuel lift pump off my spare engine, wondering if maybe the one way valve in the other one had gone? Either way now works, cheers for the help!

[Phil Hancock]

I used to find some lift pumps if they had been stood needed the valves wetting to get them to seal and so pump, a squirt of engine oil in each port and hand operation before fitting the pipes sorted it.